Fisherman faced $1.4M in fines for log book blunder

A SARINA fisherman faced a maximum penalty of $1.4 million in fines when he pleaded guilty today to failing to fill out his crab log book correctly 21 times.

Magistrate Damien Dwyer said those making submissions about Wallace Keating, 79, had made a "mockery" of the law with their submissions he only be fined about $2000 - less than 10 per cent of the maximum penalty on a single charge.

But his defence argued the offences were not the actions of deceit, instead a simple oversight of a man who was not aware he was breaking the law.